Harry Potter and the Attempted Normal Life
by ilikepie2013
Summary: This is a story that is set between Chapter 36 of DH and the Epilogue. Definitely trying to follow canon. Chapter 7 up as of 7/23/08. I solemnly swear never to abandon this story. Rating a precaution
1. Chapter 1

Harry's feet trudged along the corridor, echoed by those of Ron and Hermione. His stomach rumbled loudly, and he voiced his question. "Do you think Kreacher -" He was interrupted by a _crack_. "Master Harry wished to see Kreacher?" Kreacher said with a deep bow. "Erm, Kreacher," Harry said carefully, because he knew that no matter how tired they were, Hermione wouldn't hesitate to give him a lecture, "Would you mind bringing me a sandwich in Gryffindor Tower? I'm sure you must be tired, so when you're ready -" "Of course!" Kreacher exclaimed, " Kreacher finds it most amazing that Master Harry saves the world from certain destruction and all he asks for is a sandwich! Would Master also like some pumpkin juice?" Kreacher said, his croaking voice rich with admiration. " That'd be great Kreacher, thanks. And Kreacher, feel free to call me just Harry if you want to. I'm still not quite used to the whole "master" thing." Harry added.

"Most certainly," he paused, "Harry." and with faint _pop_, he was gone. Harry turned around to Ron and Hermione, who ever since leaving Dumbledore's office had not said a word. "Ron -" Harry started " It's okay mate, I understand. After all you've been through, you deserve a little rest." They both knew that normally, Harry would have contested Ron's statement, saying that they'd all been through a lot, but for now, he was much too tired, and gave Ron a grateful smile. He turned to Hermione and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be back soon," he said with a yawn, I just need to kip for a bit. Since I've last slept, well you know..." he trailed off. She nodded. "Go." she said simply. "We'll come with you. Right?" she said with a glare at Ron that could have passed for both Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall.

And so they continued trudging down the hallway toward the Fat Lady. Harry almost didn't realize that they were there, he was so utterly exhausted. With a jolt he realized that they had no idea what the password was. He looked at the Fat Lady. " Well," she said with a soft smile "just this once." and with that, she swung forward, and Harry stepped into what he hoped was an undamaged Gryffindor Common Room, in a castle he called home.

Harry stepped into the room, expecting the worst, but hoping for the best. You know, when things are bad, life goes in a downward spiral ending in a place very similar to rock bottom until what seems like the end of eternity. However, once things start looking up, the spiral turns up in such a way, and so quickly, after a while, you can see nothing but clouds, and not even the tiniest pebble. It seemed that after defeating Voldemort, Harry's life was starting to take an uprising spiral. The Common Room looked as though nothing had happened. In fact, if not for his memories and aching body, Harry might have sworn that he had just come back in after a walk on the lake with Ginny. Or maybe a Quidditch Practice. He wasn't quite sure. One thing that he did know, however, was that he was, finally and truly, home.

Harry looked up at the what now seemed to be an endless stairway to the boy's dormitory. As if reading his mind, as good friends often seem to do, Hermione said "Why don't we just kip on the couch for a bit?" and then, with her everlasting sense, she reasoned "That way, if people come looking for us, they won't accidentally forget to look in the dormitories, and start worrying." Normally, Harry would have said something like "Nah, I can make it." however, he already sensed his brain shutting down, and his eyelids fluttering, so with a weak "Mm hmm" he clambered onto the couch, and into hopefully peaceful dreams.

Harry Potter, however, was not a very lucky person, before, his eyelids could even shut completely, which let me tell you, wouldn't even have taken him a millisecond. Kreacher appeared with a loud _crack_ and held out his sandwich and pumpkin juice.

Harry groaned inwardly. "Thanks Kreacher." he said, and with a feeble attempt at an appreciative smile, he sat up and started nibbling on his sandwich. He glanced over at Ron, whom Harry could have sworn was awake a minute ago. Not only was he _not_ awake, but he was snoring and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth. He caught Hermione's eye, but they had to look away before they started breaking into fits of laughter. While he was struggling to repress the laughter, a voice in his head thought _This is the way it was supposed to be. No, it's not_, the voice said. _Remus, Tonks, Fred, Colin,_

_and all of the other nameless, faceless people weren't supposed to die_. He silently agreed that it felt like it was too early, but now, he knew that they were indeed in a better place, never to be haunted by thoughts of Riddle, Death Eaters, or as in Colin and Remus' case, prejudice. As he was thinking, he was already starting to lie back down, to drift off, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

Author's Note: I say that Colin was subject to prejudice not because he was a werewolf(obviously) but because he was a muggle-born.


	2. Chapter 2

"Harry! It's _Him_! Take James and Run! I'll hold him off-" Ginny was cut off by a cackle of high pitched laughter, the same one that had haunted Harry for so many years. Harry heard a voice, no more than a whisper. "_Avada Kedavra_." He heard the sound of a body slumping lifeless to the floor. "GINNY!" Harry screamed. "GINNY! NO!" he felt as though his very being was torn in two. No, it could not have, she was not dead, he was sinking into oblivion...

"Harry, Harry, wake up mate." Ron was talking to him. Beads of cold sweat ran down his body.

_It had just been a dream_. Harry was in the Gryffindor Boy's Dormitories. He assumed someone must've levitated him up here, and he wasn't sorry.

"Harry, you all right mate?" Ron said, voice laced with concern. " Ronald Weasley!" snapped Hermione, "Of course he's not! No, obviously when someone's screaming their head off shouting..." she faltered.

Harry looked at Ron, who's ears were now somewhere between a fire-engine and an apple. "Ron," Harry started, for he knew whose name he must have been calling, "Ron, where is she?" Ron looked him over, as though inspecting some sort of ulterior motive. "Ron, mate, I have to make things right, I have to talk to her, no matter how furious she may be." Ron sighed, and he seemed to be giving in. " I'll go get her." He motioned for Hermione to follow.

He was thinking over what he could possibly say to her to make her understand when he heard footsteps just outside the door. "Ginny?" he asked quietly. "Is that you?". The door opened, and there was a furious girl with bloodshot eyes. Harry felt himself shrink back slightly, reminding himself of Mr. Weasley retracting from Mrs. Weasley. If he hadn't been so terrified he would have laughed.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" she screeched, advancing towards him. He cowered a little more. " How dare you do this!" "Ginny-" "Don't you Ginny me!" she was in a brutal rage. "You leave for months, without a word of what you were doing, where you were going, not even a goodbye! You come back without any notice whatsoever, defeat Voldemort, come and sleep and you want me to come talk to you!?" She came and started hitting him with the force of a rogue bludger. Harry, however, made no attempt to stop her, knowing that she was perfectly within her rights. After a while, the force of the blows died down, and she was leaning against him for support, sobbing into his shoulder. Harry winced a few times from the pain of some fairly recent scars, but other than that made no sign that he was in any sort of discomfort He wrapped an arm around her, whispering comforting words in her ear. "Shhhhh, it's okay, we'll get through it, just hold on." Before he knew it, Ginny was fast asleep on his shoulder. He was so tired, he would just close his eyes...

It was almost as though his mind sensed that Ginny was next to him. To each other, they acted as dream catchers, neither one having a nightmare the whole night. They only dreamed of days on the lake, strolls on the moonlit grounds, and just sitting contently under the beech tree.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione said in a fierce whisper. "Don't you dare wake them up if you value your life!" Ron was shrinking against the wall. "Hermione, dear, who's he trying to disturb now?" Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes clearly bloodshot, but with a hint of a glare towards Ron. They glanced at each other. Who knows what would happen if Mrs. Weasley saw Ginny and Harry like that?

The only thing blocking her vision was Hermione. "Come on Hermione, out of the way." she said absentmindedly. She stopped, her eyes obviously zeroing in on the sight before her. "What the -" she said, clearly starting to fill up with various emotions, anger being the most noticeable. "Mum," Ron said, cutting her off "Can't you see?" They're happy together. It took me a while, having the emotional range of a teaspoon, but I finally figured it out. They were meant to be together. Look at them." he said. They both had a look that no one had seen on either face recently, it was obvious that they were peaceful, content,and very, very, much in love. "Well," Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes softening, "Just this once." With an obvious return to her former sternness, "But Ronald Weasley, so help me Merlin, if I ever find you in a position like that with Her-" she stopped at the obvious embarrassment of the two teenagers in front of her. "Well, you saw what happened to Bellatrix." she finished with the merest hint of a smile on her face. "Still though," she said with a glance at the sleeping form of Ginny, "Still, she's my baby girl, and if he ever does anything I don't care who he his or who he got rid of -" "Mum," Ron said with a sigh "We both know he won't. He loves her. Just like I love –"he paused, "Just like I love Hermione." A blush that would have made a tomato proud was creeping up his face. "Oh Ron!" Hermione said, crushing him in a hug, which he returned for a long time. Mrs. Weasley quietly slipped out the door, a broad smile reaching the tips of her ears.


	3. Chapter 3

"Harry." a voice said softly. "Mhmm" he replied grumpily. "We should probably get out of this position before Mum finds us." Ginny muttered. Harry couldn't have sprung out of bed faster if you had said Tom Riddle himself was in the room. He looked around and then blushed. It almost seemed as though things were back to normal, but then it all came rushing back to him. _Lupin, Tonks, Fred-. _Both of them seemed to realize this at the exact same. "Oh Ginny." he rushed over to her, hugging her .

"You know, they're in a better place now." Harry said quietly. Ginny's eyes widened. "How do you know?" she squeaked. "Ginny," said Harry, pushing her gently towards the bed, " I think that it's time for me to tell you everything. "Everything?" she asked, her eyes pleading, Harry hesitated, "Ginny, there are some things that I won't even tell Ron and Hermione, but there is nothing, nothing that I'm not going to share with you. It might take a while though, okay?"

And though Harry saw hurt,grief, and the tiniest flicker of anger in Ginny's chocolate colored eyes, he also saw a small flame of hope,love and healing. "I'm going to start at the very beginning, okay?" he asked gently, sitting down and holding her hand. She nodded.

And he did. He told her everything from Fluffy and Quirrel, right to Dumbledore's death, but then he paused. "You know what happened after that, I went to the Dursley's for the last time, and then we came to the Burrow and Bill and Fleur's wedding. She nodded for him to go on.

He told her of Tottenham Court Road and of their new found hiding spot. "Remember the locket, when we were clearing out Grimmauld Place?" he asked her, barely more than a whisper. She gasped, "That-t was a H-Horcrux?" she asked , her voice shaking, "I thought it felt familiar. It felt like the diary." Harry held her as she got over Tom Riddle's diary again.

She spoke again "Then R. A. B. must have been -" "Regulus Black." they said together. "So you found the locket?" she asked.

"I wish we had, but no. I did, however, find this right before figuring out

R. A. B. He opened his mokeskin pouch that Hagrid had given him and he pulled out the half letter and picture. He watched her beautiful brown eyes go back and forth as they scanned the page on which another loving redhead had written those words so long ago. He saw for one of the few times in his life time, tears well up in them as she finished the letter. "Your mum wrote this then?" she said softly, so as not to make Harry feel uncomfortable. "Oh Harry." she cooed as she hugged him tightly. "You know, she makes her g's the exact same way you do." Harry let out a soft chuckle. "I thought the exact same thing when I read it. Ginny Weasley, you can read me like a book. And you know what? I don't mind one bit." She just smiled.

"Anyway, back to the story. Where was I, R.A.B.?" he asked. She nodded. "We decided to interrogate Kreacher. We got the whole story, which I'll tell another time, but right now it's not important. Kreacher changed then, as you may have noticed by now. We still didn't have the locket yet though. Kreacher said that that thieving idiot, Mundungus, had taken it." Her eyes burned with a fire of hatred. "It's okay. He told us that he didn't have it anymore. Apparently he had to give it away. He gave it to a woman that he said had a toad like face with a pink bow. Any guesses?" Ginny was livid "That foul pink, prissy -" "Come on Ginny, let me finish." she sighed. "Okay." "We knew what we had to do. We were going to have to break into the Ministry-" he was cut off by Ginny's squeal. "It was you! Dad said that a nasty man, Runcorn, I think, had acted strangely. Gave Dad a warning."

Harry blushed. "Yeah, it was me. I took Moody's eye out of that hag's door too." "But did you get the locket?" Ginny asked, clearly anticipating this. "However much we had planned, something went wrong. We got split up. Hermione, acting under Polyjuice as Mafalda Hopkirk got dragged down with Umbridge herself to help with the "Muggle-Born Registration Committee". Ron, as a Magical Maintenance Worker, had to make a Death Eater's office stop raining. I looked through the frilly pink office but found nothing other that your dad's record. I went to find Hermione, running into and warning your dad on the way. I slipped the Cloak on and found Umbridge and Hermione in the court room. There, she was torturing Mary Cattermole, the wife of the man Ron was impersonating. She had the locket dangling around her chubby little neck. Hermione and I eventually Stunned Umbridge and Yaxley -"

As her eyes lit up, she couldn't help it, "I love you Harry Potter."And in knowing that there would be time for Harry to finish his story later, she kissed him.


	4. Chapter 4

"So I guess we're back together?" Harry asked with a grin. Ginny wrapped him in a bear hug a nodded. "I don't know how I'm going to break the news to Romilda; I just showed her my tattoo." Harry laughed. "You prat." said Ginny, hitting him on the arm playfully. For a moment Harry's heart filled with joy, the creature within roaring once again. His eyes searched hers, silently asking for permission to kiss her again. They answered with a glint, and they resumed where they left off.

As they were cursing the need for oxygen, "Oi! You two! Get a room would you?" Ron said, tromping in. "Well, Ronald, they were in one until _someone_ had to check on them." Said Hermione, stepping in behind him. "Look at them," Ginny whispered, "already bickering like an old married couple, when the War's barely over!" The room went silent in memoriam to those who had "gone on".

"You know, they chose the most convenient time to finally get together." Harry told Ginny. "Oh really?" she said with a triumphant smirk on her face. "When?" she asked. "Right in the middle of the battle, it was a shame really, you just missed it." While Ron's ears turned red, and Hermione's cheeks had turned pink, Ginny was blue from laughing so hard. He let his mind wander for a bit, he thought of how much he knew his parents would have loved her, how he would eventually have to talk with Mr. Weasley, how Potter men seem to always go for redheads, how Ginny seemed so like his mother…

_Snape_. His body was still in the Shrieking Shack, and Harry still had to clear his name!

"Ginny, where did I leave off?" Harry asked urgently, shocking them all back to the present. "Umbridge…"

"Right. Anyway…"

Harry continued as quickly as he could until right after the part about Snape's memories, with Ron and Hermione chipping in. He nearly needed to restrain Ginny when telling her about Ron's desertion. Still, he continued on.

"Oh Harry. I can't believe that you had a H-horcrux in the scar!" Ginny said as she clung to him, her voice shaking with sobs. "But then, you, how?" said Ron with his usual bluntness. This time both Harry and Hermione glared at him. Couldn't he tell that Ginny was seriously upset?

Harry glanced at Hermione, pointing his head to Ron. Hermione took her cue.

"Ron, why don't we go check on F- George?" she said, tugging his arm. "But I wanna hear-" she tugged his arm harder. "Oi! Alright, alright. I'm comin'." He said, rolling his eyes at Harry. As Hermione closed the door behind her, Ginny's sobs slowly subsided and gradually turned to laughter.

"He never learns does he?" she asked. Harry shook his head. "So Snape was good all along?" she asked quietly. "Yes. And all because he loved my mother." Harry sighed. "Ginny, would you mind me finishing later, Snape's body is probably still in the Shrieking Shack." She realized that this was very important to Harry, and so softly let go of him. "You might want to bring the Cloak." "Right. I'll miss you!" he said trying weakly to cheer her up. "Get on with it prat." Ginny said with a slap and a kiss. "I'll miss you too."

Author's Note: Okay, I know it's short and fairly stupid, but I wanted to let you know that I haven't disappeared. Well except maybe under the piles of homework that I have.

- Ilikepie2013

_The purple button is your friend…_


	5. Chapter 5

With that, Harry stepped out of the castle, of course under the cloak, and into the sunshine. It was so ironically cruel, the way that the weather was today. In the light of so many deaths, here was the weather all bright and cheery. He took a deep breath and continued towards the Whomping Willow. He brought out his wand and sent a stick spinning towards the knot on the tree.

He looked down and realized that he had accidently used the Elder Wand. He had to get rid of that. _Soon_.

Harry crawled into the ever cramped passage through the under the Whomping Willow, towards the Shrieking Shack. He thought about the first time he had gone down this passage way. That night, he had met Sirius, and learned so much more about Remus. They were both dead. It was his fault

Fred, Remus, Tonks, Colin, and so many other nameless, faceless people wouldn't ever come back. He continued down the passage in a more somber, melancholy mood.

He finished his trek through the passage way, and stopped with a start. There he was.

His former professor, tormentor. It brought tears to his eyes to think how harshly he had misjudged him. All that he did, he did out of love. Who would have thought?

He used a slight variation of the spell that only 4 years earlier his now dead godfather had used to carry the same body out of the Shrieking Shack. Only this time, he treated the body with much more care, reverence, respect. He stopped. It would look quite odd if he came out of the Shrieking Shack, invisible, with a very visible dead Snape.

He sent a Patronus to Professor McGonagall and Kingsley (or Minister Shacklebolt) to meet him next to the Whomping Willow as quickly as they could. He stayed just below the entrance of the passage way for about five minutes when he heard two pairs of footsteps. He came up and took the cloak off.

"Thank you for meeting me here, Professor McGonagall, Minister –"he started, "It's Kingsley, Harry." "Right. Sorry Kingsley. I don't have time to explain it all right now, but Professor Snape was innocent, and he was killed in the Shrieking Shack last night by Voldemort." Their eyes widened slightly at the proclamation that Snape was innocent, but let Harry continue, "His body is right below me in the passage way, but I can't explain to the whole world about his innocence right now. He was an honorable man, but I can't say why at the moment, though in time, I will, but right now I just need time to breathe, and grieve properly and meet Teddy and -" he stopped.

"Harry, my boy, it's quite all right. We understand." Kingsley said in his calming voice. "However hard it is to believe, if you say that Snape was innocent, then I will believe you." McGonagall nodded, "but the whole world may not, despite your proclamation at the battle today. We will cast a disillusionment charm on the body and put it in a secluded, protected area until the time comes for a proper burial, if that seems alright to you, Harry." Harry just nodded. Kingsley was going to be a great Minister of Magic. "Harry, I think that it is time that you continued doing all that you have mentioned before, and perhaps spend some time with a certain redhead." Kingsley said with a knowing grin.

"Thank you so much Kingsley, Professor." Harry said.

"However, Harry, one more thing, before you go." Kingsley said. "I wish that I didn't have to do this, because I know that you will not want it. You are to receive an Order of Merlin, First Class, in a large ceremony after the rest of the cleanup and funerals. This comes with one thousand galleons." Harry groaned. Kingsley was right, he didn't want that.

"Everyone else who helped will get something as well, though, at least. Right? I couldn't have done this alone." Kingsley smiled. "Yes, Harry, there is a silver lining. Everyone who was on the right side in the battle gets at least an Order of Merlin, Third Class, and many are receiving Second Class. This includes posthumous. Other people getting a first class include all of the Weasley family, Hermione, Neville, Remus, Tonks, Luna Lovegood, all of the Hogwarts professors, Colin Creevey, myself, and some various others." "Kingsley, I can't tell you why, again, just yet, but do you think that Severus Snape and Narcissa Malfoy could also get a first class?" "I'm sure that with your testimony, anything could happen, Harry. Enough of that, though." Kingsley looked back towards the castle. Harry followed his gaze and saw a glint of fiery red hair.

"I think a certain redhead is waiting for you."

A/N: Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for the long wait. Between homework, holidays, mid terms, reading better fan fictions than my own, and writer's block, I never got much of a chance. Please forgive me. I solemnly swear never to abandon this story. Suggestions are welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry walked back towards the castle, always looking directly at Ginny, never breaking eye contact. When he finally got close enough, he kissed her, right there on the castle stairs.

He motioned towards the lake, and with a mutual understanding, they headed towards their favorite spot, under the beech tree.

"Gin, there are some things that I have to tell you that I won't ever tell anyone else anytime soon." She nodded for him to go on. "Before I let him, let him kill me." He paused, making sure she was alright and put an arm around her. "I saw you comforting a girl…" Her eyes, which had been shutting with Harry's warm embrace, snapped open.

"I knew it. I KNEW it! I felt you, your presence." Her voice went down to a whisper, "You didn't say goodbye. You bloody prat! You went off to die and you didn't even say goodbye! Do have any idea what happened to me when I saw you, dead, at Voldemort's feet? I had already lost Fred, Remus, Tonks and Colin. – "

"Ginny, I'm sorry about all of them too, it was my entire fault. If only I'd given myself up sooner – "

"Harry James Potter, shut up, stop blaming yourself and let me finish, because my heart broke, and you need to realize that. My soul was shattered, half of me died with you. And suddenly, I didn't care whether or not the other half survived, because I wanted to _be_ with you. "

She pulled him close, and for another of the few times in her life, began to sob.

"Gin, look. I wanted to go to you so much. To touch you, and hold you, and not give myself up, to let you drag me back, to not have to say goodbye." He continued, "But I couldn't. I love you, Gin, and if you had tried to stop me, I know that I couldn't have gone on, that I wouldn't be able to do what had to be done. I wouldn't be able to let him kill me." Harry looked down at her tear stained face. "I'm so sorry, Gin. I promise that I will never, ever, leave you again. I love you too much, that's why I had to leave in the first place."

Ginny gazed up at him in wonder. "Harry, do you mean that?"

"Mean wha-"Oh. He just realized that he'd completely revealed himself to her in a stupidly careless way. He looked into the chocolate brown eyes, which again had that blazing look of fire, and knew that it _was_ true, that he _did_ love her.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, I love you with all of my heart, and even if you don't return my love, I will continue loving you as long as I live. When I was about to let him kill me, I didn't think of Ron or Hermione or Dumbledore, I thought of you. About the first time that we kissed and that blazing look that you get in your eyes. And when I saw Dumbledore for that brief moment of my limbo between life and death, when he gave me the choice, I came back for you. And when I saw that Killing Curse come within an inch of you, suddenly, I didn't care about Voldemort anymore. I swear that if your mum hadn't beaten me to it, I would have killed that (and here Harry said something that Hermione would not have approved of) myself." This left Harry out of breath.

"Oh, Harry. I love you so much you stupid, noble prat." She gave a watery chuckle. "I love you too Gin, I love you too." He murmured into the flowery scent of her hair. With all that said and done they kissed.

It wasn't a heavy, passionate kiss, but, rather, slow and sweet, like glistening dew in the sunrise.

Once again with his impeccable timing, Ron stomped in."Oi! You! Stop snogging my sister!"

Hermione trudged up behind him. "Honestly, Ronald, can't you just leave them alone for once!" She shot an apologetic look at Harry and Ginny. "I tried to stop him, honestly I did – "But she stopped at Ron's look of inexpressible rage.

"I told you," he said through gritted teeth, "to stop messing my sister around."

Now Harry was seriously confused. He looked at Ginny. Merlin. She still had tear tracks on her face. He and Ginny exchanged a quick look of understanding, but it was too late.

Ronald Weasley had just punched Harry Potter.

A/N: I know, a slight cliffy. I'll try to update again soon though. Honestly though, how do you think it's going to work out? cough Flying Bogeys cough


	7. Chapter 7

"Ronald. Bilius. Weasley. What in the name of MERLIN did you do that for?" Ron shrank back. "He-he was messing you around!" his voice attempting to gain confidence. Ginny snarled back, "We were kissing! Do you honestly think that I would let him mess me around?" He shrank back again.

Hermione joined in, "Honestly, Ronald! When was the last time you knew Harry to hurt someone purposely? You're best friends; you need to trust him!" He looked at Harry, who was knocked out with a trickle of blood flowing out his nose. Ron was reduced to mumbling, "teenage…boys…hormonal…last summer…older…brother…protective…not my fault…"

"Honestly, Ron, you need to grow up, and you need to see that I can take of myself and –"she continued glaring at him before he could interrupt, "You need to see that I'm not a little girl anymore. Maybe this will help imprint that into your mind." And with that, Ginny gave him the worst Bat Bogey Hex seen on the grounds of Hogwarts before or since.

Harry started to come around. The blow had knocked the glasses off of his face, but he could vaguely see one redhead running in circles, being attacked viciously by flying bogeys, and another redhead, no doubt the cause of the bogeys, looking more beautiful than Harry could ever imagine.

Harry was suddenly filled with anger and hurt. Why couldn't Ron just trust him with his sister? He felt a sense of gratification seeing him being attacked by the flying bogeys. Harry smirked to himself. Ginny certainly could take care of herself.

"And that," Harry said getting up, "was just what that git deserved." Harry got up, and Ginny beamed.

"Ginny," Hermione said, "I think that you need to teach me that hex." The three smirked at each other and laughed. Finally, taking pity on him, Ginny lifted the hex as Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ronald, brother dearest, come here." Ginny said in a mock- sweet tone that happened to remind Harry of Umbridge.

"I believe that you owe my _boyfriend_," she said emphasizing the word, "an apology." She beamed at Harry again, while Hermione looked expectantly at Ron.

Ron looked at Harry earnestly, "Look, Harry, mate, I am sorry," he hung his head, "I was a git. I guess that I just can't get used to you being with Ginny, let alone actually _loving_ her. But, mate, I reckon now that you feel about her the same that I feel about Hermione," at this, Hermione blushed. "And mate, if that's true, I know I can trust you. Forgive me?"

Harry eyed him up and down, and finally nodded his head. Harry pulled Ron in for a hug, which Ron returned briefly.

They looked toward the castle and saw the great oak doors open. When Harry saw who it was he walked purposefully toward the castle, with Ginny not far behind him. Hermione started to follow, but was held back by Ron, for once being the insightful one. "Hermione, this is something that they need to do on 

their own. Care for a walk around the lake?" Hermione, looking shocked at his rare insightfulness, nodded slowly and took his hand.

Harry looked up and down the rows of bodies. So many! So, so many were gone! Damn it, it was all his fault!

As if reading his mind, Ginny grasped Harry's hand tightly as another bout of rare tears streamed down her face.

"Harry James Potter, you listen to me. You had better listen well, because I am not going to say this again," at this point she was giving him a glare a little too reminiscent of her mother for Harry's liking "None of this was your fault. None of it, you hear me?!"

"If I had just given myself up sooner…"

"Damn it, Potter! None of us wanted you to give yourself up at all! We were all fighting for your survival, don't you get it? We were fighting because we loved you! I'd be even more upset if I didn't know why you went into the forest that night." She took a breath, and was about to ramble on, but seemingly thought better of it, and instead gave him a searing kiss.

Harry reeled back for a moment, shocked by her sudden change in demeanor, but started kissing her back with fervor, both of them only stopping when the wolf whistles were constant in their ears.

"Got it?" she asked haughtily. Harry eyed the beautiful girl, no, woman in front of him. Her flaming hair streaming out behind her, and her cheeks flushed (though from the anger or the kissing, Harry wasn't quite sure.)

He chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."

With that he grasped her hand tightly and continued facing reality.

At last they got to Tonks and Remus. An image flashed through Harry's head of Remus at Shell Cottage.

"Oh Merlin. Gin, you know what this means?" The reality of it hadn't struck Harry until then. Teddy Lupin was an orphan.

"Oh damn." Ginny said softly. Then muttering she added "Well he's gonna have the best damn godmother that there's ever been…"

Harry did a double take.

"Gin, what did you say?"

She looked puzzled for a moment, and then her eyes flashed. "Teddy Lupin is going to have the best damn godmother that there's ever been. I will personally make sure of that."

Harry's eyes widened.

"Gin…"

"What is it?" she asked, pushing him.

He finally choked out, "I'm his godfather."

A/N: So what'd you think? Constructive criticism is appreciated. Also feel free to check out my new story, an AU, Harry/Ginny Soul Bond, time travel fic – Traveling Souls. This doesn't mean that I'm abandoning Attempted Normal Life, just starting another fic. Again, sorry for the delay in chapters, my life's going hay wire – I'm really busy. I won't ever abandon though, no worries there.


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